Valve-gear



2 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. ENGBERG. VALVE GEAR No. 581,577. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. BNGBERG.

VALVE GEAR. No. 581,517. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

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lhvrrnn STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

VILLIAM ENGBERG, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

VALVE-G EAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581 ,57'7, dated April 27, 1897.

Application filed February 10, 1897. Serial No. 622,783. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVILLIAM ENGBERG, of St. Joseph, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Valve-Gear, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to valve-gears such as shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States No. 533,283, granted to me on January 29, 1895.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved valve-gear more especially designed for use in water-supply pipes connecting a pumping-station with a distant stand-pipe, the said gear being very simple and durable in construction, not liable to get out of order, and arranged to enable the en gineerin charge of the pum pin gstation to open or close the supply-pipe to allow the water to pass to the stand-pipe or to cut it off therefrom.

The invention consists principally of a cylinder containing a piston for opening or closing the valve in the supply-pipe, a valve connected with the liquid-supply and with the ends of the said cylinder to move the piston therein up or down by the pressure of the liquid passing from the valveto the said cylinder, and a device electrically controlled and connected with the said valve to open the same to either end of the cylinder, the said device comprising an electric circuit containing two relays and a magnet for each relay, the magnets having each an armaturelever, two slidable bars adapted to be engaged and locked by the respective armaturelevers and controlling the position of the valve, and means controlled by the said piston for making ground connection for either relay and adapted to engage and move the said bars in opposite directions.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the improvement as applied and with parts in section.

Fig. 2 is a face View of the improvement with the box in section. Fig. 3 is a rear face view of the box with parts broken out. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the improvement, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric connections.

The supply-pipe A is connected in the usual manner with a stand-pipe located a suitable distance from the pumping-station, and in the said supply-pipe, near the stand-pipe, is arranged a gate-valve 13, having its valve stem 0 connected with one end of a piston D, fitted to slide in a cylinder D, supported from the casing of the valve B, as plainly shown in Fig.1. The piston-rod D of the piston D is provided on its outer end with an arm E, made in two sections E and E held adj ustably one on the other to lengthen and shorten the arm, the said sections being adapted to be fastened together by a suitable setscrew E The section E is secured by a set-screw E to the said piston'rod D and the outer end of the other section E is socured by the said screw E to a rod F, fitted to slide in suitable bearings in a box G, supported by suitable brackets from the cylilr der D.

On the rod F, within the box G, are held adj ustably the arms F and F of which the arm F is adapted to engage an arm 11, secured on a bar II, fitted to slide in suitable bearings within the box G. The other arm F is adapted to engage the free end of a lever I, ful crumed in the box G and pivotally connected with a second bar I, likewise fitted to slide in suitable hearings in the box G.

\Vhen the rod F moves upwardly, the arm F disengages the free end of the lover I, and the other arm F finally engages the arm II to lift the bar ll. hen the rod F moves downwardly, the arm F leaves the arm 11 to free the bar H, and the other arm F finally engages the free end of the lever I, so as to impart a swinging motion thereto to move the bar I in an upward direction. Both the bars H and I are provided with weights or pressed on by springs, so that when the arms F and F relieve the arms H and 1, respectively, the said weights or springs move the bars into a lowermost position, provided the same are unlocked,as hereinafter more fully described.

The lower ends of the bars H and I press loosely on the free ends of a lever J, secured at its middle on the stem K of the valve K, similar in construction to the valve G shown and described in detail in the patent above referred to. The valve K is provided with a pipe K connected with a liquid-supply, preferably with the supply-pipe A, as shown, and from the valve leads a discharge-pipe K through which water may escape from either end of the cylinder D, it being understood that the valve K is connected by pipes K and K with the upper and lower ends of the said cylinder, so that when the valve is in the proper position water can, under pressure, How from the supply-pipe A to either end of the cylinder to impart motion to the piston D in either an upward or a downward direction, according to which pipe, K or K is connected by the valve K with the pipe K The supply-pipe K" or K is then connected with the pipe K to allow the opposite end of the cylinder to drain oit its waterby way of the valve K and pipe K The bars H and I are adapt-ed to be locked in an uppermost position by armature-levers -L and L respectively, adapted to engage notches H and I in the bars H and l, respectively. The armature-levers L and L belong to the electromagnets L and L, connected with the relays N and N, respectively, and electrically connected with each other by the wire N and by wires N and N with contact-plates O and 0, respectively, held insulated in the box G. The contact-plates O and Oare adapted to be engaged bya spring contact-plate F secured on the rod F above the uppermost arm F, as plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The electromagnets L and L and their relays N and N are connected with a local bat-,

tery P, and the wire N connecting the relays with each other, runs to the pumping-station and contains a switch N connected by the wire Q with a battery Q, having its other wire Q connected with the ground. The rod F has a ground connection either by a direct wire, as indicated in Fig. 5, or by means of the arm E, the piston D, cylinder D, and pipe A, usually held underground. Midway between the contaet-plates O and O is arranged a third insulated contact-plate R, connected by a wire R with an alarm S, arranged in the pumping-station, connected by a wire 3' with the battery-wire Q.

The operation is as follows YVhen the piston D is in a lowermost position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the gate-valve B is closed and water is shut off from the stand-pipe. Now when the engineer in charge of the distant pumping-station desires to open the gate-valve B he closes the switch N a short time, so that an electric circuit is established by way of wire N relay N, wire N contact-plates O and F and the rod F, connected with the ground. As the current also passes through the electrom agnet L, the latter becomes energized, and consequently the armature-lever L is attracted and moved out of engagement with the bar H, so that the latter can slide downward by the weight or spring, and in doing so turns the lever J, and consequently changes the position of the valve K, so that the pipe K is connected with the pipe K and the pipe K is connected with the pipe K Water now flows into the lower end of the cylinder D to push the piston D in an upward direction to open the gate-valve B and to allow the water to flow from the supply-pipe A into the stand-pipe. Then the rod F moves upward with the upward movement of the piston D, the contact-plate F finally moves out of engagement with the contact-plate 0, so that the circuit is broken, and the said contact-plate finally moves for a short time in engagement with the contact-plate B, so as to complete the circuit for the alarm S, whereby the latter is sounded, and thus notice is given to the engineer in charge that the gate-valve B is opening. lVhen the piston D finally arrives at an uppermost position, the contact-plate F is in engagement with the contact-plate O, and the piston is held in this position by the pressure of the water from the supply-pipe A. During the upward movement of the rod F the arm F moves in engagement with the arm H to lift the bar H back into an uppermost position, so that the armature-lever L can engage the said bar and lock it in an uppermost position. When the engineer again desires to close the gate-valve B, he moves the switch N for a short time into a closed position, so that it again closes the circuit by way of wire N relay N,wire N, contact-plates O and F and rod F. The electric current now energizes the electromagnet L, so that the armature L thereof is attracted and moved out of engagement with the bar I. As the lower end of the latter now rests on the lever J, it is evident that a downward movement of the said bar, caused by its spring or weight, turns the said lever to shift the position of the valve K and to cause the water to flow into the upper end of the cylinder to push the piston D downward to close the valve B. hen the piston moves down? ward,the rod F is carried in the same direction and the contact between the plates F and O is broken, and contact is made shortly thereafter by the plate F with the plate R to again sound the alarm S, so as to notify the engineer in charge of the pumping-station that the valve is closing. The switch N is then thrown by the en gineerinto an open position. The rod F in its downward movement moves in engagement with the free end of the lever I, so as to impart a swinging motion thereto to lift the bar I back to its former position, and as the electromagnets L are now deenergized the armature-lever L again engages and locks the bar I in an uppermost position. lVhen the piston E arrives in this lowermost position,t-he rod F,by its plate Fiagain makes contact with the plate 0, and the piston is held in a downwardmost position by the pressure of the water until the above-described operation is repeated; that is, when the engineer desires to again open the gate-valve, as before described.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described an alarm will be sounded at the pump ing-station in case the valve B is opened or closed accidentally. In order to keep the box free from moisture, I prefer to line the same with Zinc or the like.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A valve-gearcomprising a cylinder and piston for opening and closing the valve in a supply-pipe, a valve connected with a liquidsupply and also connected with the ends of the said cylinder, to move the piston thereon up or down by the pressure of the liquid passing from the valve to the cylinder, and adevice electrically controlled and connected with the said valve to open the same to either end of the cylinder, the said device comprising an electric circuit containing two relays, a magnet for each relay, and provided with an armature-lever, slidable bars adapted to be engaged and locked by the respective armatnres, the said bars controlling the position of the valve, and means controlled by the said piston, for making ground connection with either relay and adapted to engage and move the said bars back to a normal position, substantially as shown and described.

2. A valve-gear provided with a controlling device for the valve and comprising an electric circuit containing two relays, an electric magnet for each relay and provided with an armature-lever, two slidable bars adapted to be engaged and locked by the corresponding armature-levers the said bars controlling the position of the valve, and means for making alternate ground connections for the said relays, substantially as shown and described.

3. A valve-gear provided with a controlling device for the valve and comprising an electric circuit containing two relays, an electromagnet for each relay and provided with an armature-lever, a switch in the said circuit, two slidable bars adapted to be engaged and locked by the corresponding armature-levers, the said bars controlling the position of the valve, and means for making alternate ground connections for the said relays and arranged for connection with the said bars to return the same to their normal locked position, substantially as shown and described.

4. A valve-gear provided with a controlling device for the valve and comprising an electric circuit containing two relays, an electromagnet for each relay and provided with an armaturelever,a switch in the said circuit,two slidable bars adapted to be engaged and locked by the corresponding armature-levers, the said bars controlling the position of the valve, means for making alternate ground connections for the said relays and arranged forconnection with the said bars to return the same to their normal locked position, and a second circuit controlling an alarm and adapted to be opened and closed by the said means, substantiall y as shown and described.

5. A valve-gear provided with a controlling device for the valve and comprising an electric circuit containing two relays, an electromagnet for each relay and provided with an armature-lever, a switch for opening and closing the said circuit, movable bars adapted to be locked in position by the corresponding armature-levers and controlling the position of the valve, and a movable rod having contactplates adapted to alternately engage the contact-plates for the said relays, to connect the same alternately with the ground, the said rod being also provided with arms for engagement with the said bars to return the same to a locking position substantially as shown and described.

6. A valve-gear provided with a controlling device for the valve and comprising an electric circuit containing two relays, an electromagnet for each relay and provided with an armature-lever, a switch for opening and closing the said circuit, movable bars adapted to be locked in position by the corresponding levers and controlling the position of the valve, a movable rod having contact-plates adapted to alternately engage the contact-plates for the said relays, to connect the same alternately with the ground, the said rod being also provided with arms for engagement with the said bars to return the same to a locking position, and a second circuit having an alarm and provided with a contact-plate adapted to be engaged by a contact-plate of the said rod, substantially as shown and described.

\VILLIAM ENGBERG. lVitnesses:

JOHN EKLUND, NORMAN E. BROWN. 

